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Superb Jupiter and Saturn


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Got up around 3.30 to catch the gas giants. I had to wait for them to clear the garage roof but then was treated to a wonderful hour or so of observing. Unlike the last time I tried I could tell immediately that the seeing was good - and it got better.

There was a transit of Callisto’s shadow which I followed across the disc as it got sharper into a perfect black bullet hole. By 4.15 the seeing was rock solid with no atmospherics at all. As the sky got lighter I tried the contrast booster filter and the view was simply stunning. Detail of the belts was clear with all the subtle shading on the rest of the disc. It took some magnification too with the Nagler 3-6 mm Zoom at times on 3mm setting (300x in the Tak!) although 4 or 5mm was best. I even tried the Vixen 2.4mm! 

Now Saturn. Wow! Being less bright it was better without the filter. A beautiful 3D view. The Cassini division sharp with subtle shading on the globe. Again it took high magnification - a wonderful sight. Solid seeing gave an almost photographic view. 

I dragged myself away as the sky got a bit too bright after the best planetary observing I’ve had for quite a while. 

Fingers crossed for tomorrow when there is a GRS and a shadow transit! 

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Yes It was another incredible evening/mornings seeing wasn’t it! I came back home about the time you got out. It was T-shirt weather at 2am! I wonder if that helped- little thermal gradient to generate thermals? I couldn’t get 300x but did get pretty crisp detail at 160-200x on Jupiter with my 8” dob. My first shadow transit! and it was just as you describe- a crisp black bullet hole moving across the surface and seemingly too small to be cast by a moon. It confused me as I thought the moon casting the shadow would also be transiting but all 4 were gathered off to the right (newt view) in an interesting tight pattern. All the times last year I enjoyed Jupiter’s views but never saw a shadow transit. Last night was as good as I’ve seen Jupiter yet I think. Saturn looked good too but maybe not as sharp as I have seen and perhaps dimmer? Not sure where Mars was last year but am happy I got my first I think ever look last night too! Not the greatest view- a smudged blob of redness due to low altitude- but first view nevertheless. Another great night :)

Edited by markse68
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Lovely stuff Kerry. I haven’t managed to rouse myself from the bed so far this apparition, must get around to it. Tomorrow morning, GRS transits at 3.43 and a Ganymede shadow transit starts just before, so could be good if clear and steady.

37DAECD7-13DD-4CF2-A186-BA8861730444.png

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Sounds a good productive session Kerry, I was just packing up as they were creeping above the rooftops, can't really get a telescopic few at that altitude from my garden, would have to set up in the bedroom and view out the widow something Mrs T isn't keen on at three in the morning for some reason 😂

Dave

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Great report Kerry & an enjoyable read.

I to was out viewing Jupiter and Saturn but not until 4.45am. It was starting to get quite light by then but I still got some great viewing of Jupiter at various powers  between x240 down to x100 - At higher power I had quite a bit of detail showing the top darker brown area, the main belts & a bonus GRS. The four large moons were all trailing behind Jupiter while I was looking at it. 

Saturn was also very good. I didn't have high hopes for it as it was just about visible in my finder at 5.05am I still managed some pretty decent views at x150. Some colour variations in the disc and the split in the rings. I really cant wait to see these two at a higher altitude one day!

Mars is still a no show for me as well, I look forward to seeing that later in the year. Then its just Neptune left to view!

 

Baz

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Back out this morning at 3.30.

Seeing was very good. Not quite as good as the last time (see first post) but very good nevertheless.

Quick look at Mars; a crisp orange disc but it was behind the neighbour’s roof before I could see if I could tease out any detail.

Jupiter was great with lots of detail. No GRS or transits but plenty to see in the belts.  Two moons (Io and Europa) were close together looking like a nicely matching double star. I watched to see if they were converging or diverging but they seemed to stay about the same. Then one disappeared and for a moment I thought they had converged but then realised that one had gone into eclipse.

Saturn was sharp and steady. The Cassini division clear and detail visible on the planet. It looks like the planet’s disc is now just beginning to poke beyond the rings as they gradually close up. Titan visible until the sky got too light.

Well worth getting up for. 

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Hello Garry. I’m well thanks and I trust that you are too.

I did get up this morning around 3.00 but found that the seeing was pretty poor and certainly nowhere near as good as my two previous sessions. I hung around for a while hoping for an improvement but gave up in the end and went back to bed!

Good to hear from you 

 

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Saturn’s been a bit disappointing for me so far this year- I’m sure it’ll improve with greater altitude. GRS was pretty clear and orangey. Unfortunate that Io’s shadow fell in the northern belt so wasn’t so distinct but was just about visible

I didn’t realise this but if you zoom into Jupiter in Sky Safari it actually shows GRS and moon and shadow transits in real time- how cool is that!

81C14B29-F746-4B5E-B8F3-65265C5A24AE.png

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I also have the S&T app JupiterMoons which does the same thing. Very useful 

The GRS was on the edge of the disc for me this morning. I could just make out the shadow during fleeting moments of better seeing and I did see Io approaching the planet but that was it 

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10 minutes ago, markse68 said:

Saturn’s been a bit disappointing for me so far this year- I’m sure it’ll improve with greater altitude. GRS was pretty clear and orangey. Unfortunate that Io’s shadow fell in the northern belt so wasn’t so distinct but was just about visible

I didn’t realise this but if you zoom into Jupiter in Sky Safari it actually shows GRS and moon and shadow transits in real time- how cool is that!

81C14B29-F746-4B5E-B8F3-65265C5A24AE.png

Yep, good innit!

If you look at the info page for Jupiter then it gives times for the events too which is useful.

D2FA8703-5408-4DDD-BD84-2D7713D780E6.png

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I saw Saturn and Jupiter visually at around 3:00 am a few nights ago. They are still very, very low down from here :rolleyes2:

Having observed them often over the years when they were high in the sky I'm having trouble getting motivated to get a scope setup because the views are likely to be not as satisfying :rolleyes2:

If you have not seen them before I can understand why it is worth making the effort though :smiley:

 

 

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I did wonder if it might be an idea for one of the zoom talks Stu- an expert showing the rest of us all the neat features of Sky Safari- but then  it might just be me who doesn’t know then akready 😂

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1 minute ago, John said:

If you have not seen them before I can understand why it is worth making the effort though :smiley:

I don’t know if I’ll keep doing it as the lack of decent sleep is having an impact but for me Jupiter is much better already than last year. My scope is performing much better as well (or maybe that’s all it is) but in all the times I viewed Jupiter last year (every opportunity there was!) I never saw a clear shadow transit but I’ve seen 1.5 already! The skies are definitely very different from last year- maybe the covid effect 🤷‍♂️

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  • 4 weeks later...

My new 15mm BST Starguider lens turned up last night for my 200p, so I thought I’d stay up for Jupiter and Saturn. Wow, I was not expecting it to tease out so much detail! Jupiter was stunning, clear orange banding and even the Great Red Spot which I’ve never seen before, breathtaking.

Saturn was pin sharp too and looked incredible, occasionally through the turbulence I could make out the Cassini division.

The stock EPs I had at 25mm & 10mm are ok but never got near revealing detail like this. So glad I took a punt and ordered all but the 3.2mm BST (no doubt I will eventually). Back out tonight hopefully! 

 

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30 minutes ago, IB20 said:

My new 15mm BST Starguider lens turned up last night for my 200p, so I thought I’d stay up for Jupiter and Saturn. Wow, I was not expecting it to tease out so much detail! Jupiter was stunning, clear orange banding and even the Great Red Spot which I’ve never seen before, breathtaking.

Saturn was pin sharp too and looked incredible, occasionally through the turbulence I could make out the Cassini division.

The stock EPs I had at 25mm & 10mm are ok but never got near revealing detail like this. So glad I took a punt and ordered all but the 3.2mm BST (no doubt I will eventually). Back out tonight hopefully! 

 

I'm jealous that you go to try out the 15mm, as I bought one a few weeks ago and the weather up here has been damned awful!  You'll enjoy the 3.2mm, it's great on the moon, when conditions allow.

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The 15mm BST is a nice eyepiece. I've been using it since last year. The 8mm and 12mm seem decent also. Although quite soon my 8mm and 15mm are being replaced with OVL Nirvana ES 82° 7 and 16mm.

Last night Jupiter and Saturn were the best I've seen this year. Although conditions didn't allow for much detail at high magnifications.

The most detailed views through the 150p were at 125x using a Sky-Watcher UWA 58° Planetary 6mm. Saturn produced a razor sharp Cassini division and Jupiter, some banding and an obvious GRS. Also watching Io appear from behind Jupiter was a sight.

Edited by ScouseSpaceCadet
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 24/06/2020 at 10:03, merlin100 said:

  You'll enjoy the 3.2mm, it's great on the moon, when conditions allow.

I managed 5 mins last night in tricky conditions with 3.2mm BST on the moon. Stunning views! I’m so looking forward for the opportunity to have a proper session when it’s higher in the sky. 

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